Reversible supporting and heating attachment for open grates



c. M. GIBBS 1,846,129

REVERSIBLE SUPPORTING AND HEATING ATTACHMENT FOR OPEN GRATES Feb. 23,1932.

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Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARA MAE GIBBS, OFFRANKFURT, KENTUCKY Application filed October 30, 1928. Serial No.316,021.

This invention relates to supports, and es pecially to a reversiblesupporting and heating attachment for open grates.

The main object of this invention is to provide a very convenient,strong, durable and thoroughly practical device which is particularlyuseful for supporting flatirons in position to be heated by the fire inthe grate, and which is also useful as an oven in which food and othersubstances can be warmed and kept warm.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind,which can be made entirely of sheet metal and securing rivets or bolts,so it can be manufactured at a comparatively low cost, and ispractically unbreakable.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which includes two plates, either of which is vertical, whilethe other is horizontal, so that either constitutes a wall or a floor,according to the position of the device when attached, in either of itsinterchangeable positions, on the grate;

and a further object is to provide one of these plates with reticulatedportions through which heat rays can pass directly from the fire (in thegrate), to the fiatirons (in the supporting receptacle).

Other objects and important features are pointed out or implied in thefollowing details of description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspectiveor isometric view of the device, and- Figure 2is a transverse sectional view through the right-hand end of the deviceshown in Figure 1, through a removable lid applied thereon, and throughthe upright front part of an ordinary open grate.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in which similar referencecharacters correspond to similar parts in the two views, and in whichthe upright front part of the grate is indicated at G, the inventionwill now be described in detail as follows:

A heavy plate or sheet of bendable metal, such as wrought iron, is bentat 5, 6, 7 and 8, so as to form a container which includes two 53rectangular plates 9 and 10, two angular segments 11 which form sidewalls, and two low or narrow flanges or walls 12.

Two strips 13 have their middle parts bent at right angles at 1 1, andhave their ends eX- 55 tending beyond the flanges 12 and forming hooks15. The end walls 11 are formed with flanges 7 a which extend inwardfrom the bends 7, and rest flat against the strips 13. These strips 13,the edges of the parts 9 and m 10, and the flanges 7 a are perforatedfor receiving rivets 16, or in lieu of the rivets, the parts 13, 7 a, 9and 10 may be spot-welded or otherwise secured so as to combine informing a rigid unitary structure such as shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 2, it is seen that one of the hooks 15 ishooked, over the top of the grate G, and of course, it is understoodthat the other hook 15 of the plate or wall 9 7 is also hooked over thegrate G, when the de vice is supported by the grate. In this Figure (2)is shown a curved cover plate 17 which is substantially a quadrant of ahollow cylinder, and is provided with a handle 18 at its middle art. Thelower edge of the cover 17 rests on the plate 10 and against the lowerflange 12, while its upper edge rests upon the upper flange 12. By meansof the handle 18, the cover can be quickly and easily placed, resomoved, and replaced with respect to the unit or receptacle shown inFigure 1, and will fit equally well in the position shown or in theinverted position. Moreover, it is obvious that the receptacle or unitshown in Figure 1 can be reversed so that the lower hooks 15 can beturned to the top of the grate G and engaged therewith. In placing thecover 17, the lower edge of the cover should always be against the innerside of the lower flange 7a,

while the upper edge is on the upper side of the upper flange 7a. Fromthe foregoing, it will be seen that the device is not only very quicklyand easily placed in either of its useful positions, but that its termof usefulness is extended by the provision of two pairs or sets of hooks15, that is, a pair or set secured to the plate 9 and a pair or setsecured to the plate 10. While I have shown only two hooks for eachplate 9 and 10, it is understood that any number of such hooks may beprovided, and that they may be located other than at the ends of thedevice, although this form of the device is capable of being made at alow cost, because of the superposed or juxtaposed relation of the parts10, 7a and 13, so one rivet or fastening means 16 affects all three ofthese parts 10, 7 a and 13.

The perforated or reticulated parts 9a are preferably, though notessentially of the size and shape of the lower surface of an ordinarymedium sized or large sized flatiron, so that such reticulated partsserve to indicate the desired position for each flatiron to be heated.By this indicating means, each flatiron can be placed so that it willnot have to be moved to make room for the other flatirons which are alsoto be placed in the receptacle or support.

In heating flatirons, it will usually be preferable to remove the cover17, so the front side of the device will be open, and the fiatirons canbe quickly and easily placed, removed and replaced. On the other hand,when it is desired to use the device for keeping food and othersubstanceswarm, the cover is placed in the position shown in Figure 2.Of course the cover is substantially as long as the internal length ofthe receptacle, from one to the other of the walls 11, so its ends areso near the walls 11 as to prevent the escape of any considerablequantity of the heated air through the joints between the walls and thecover, the latter being only sufliciently short to permit it to bequickly and easily placed between the walls 11.

When it is desired to heat the flatirons very quickly, the device isplaced in the position shown in Figure 1, so the respective flatiron'sare in the positions indicated by the reticulated parts 9a. However, ifthe heat .in the grate is very intense, or if it is not desired to heatthe flatirons very quickly, the device is reversed, so the lower hooks15 are interchanged with the upper hooks 15, and the plate 9 will thenbe in the horizontal position while the plate 10 is in the verticalposition; and when in this position, the heat rays can not pass directlyto the flatirons,

so the irons will heat more slowly. Moreover, the device is similarlyreversed when it is to be used as a heater for food, and the reticulatedparts 90; being under the food, provides ventilation in connection withthe joints between the lid or cover 17 and the walls 11.

In addition to the function of the flanges 12, which has been explained,it should be understood that these flanges also strengthen the upper andfront edges of the plates 9 and 10, at the same time making the plates 9and 10 more rigid.

Although I have described this embodiment of my invention veryspecifically, it is not my intention to limit my patent protection tothe exact details of construction, arrangement and material, asspecified and shown, but changes may be made within the scope of theinventive ideas as implied and claimed.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a reversiblesupporting andheatingdevice for attachment to open grates, the combination of a receptacleincluding two plates at right angles to one another and adapted toalternatively constitute a floor and a vertical wall, two end wallsunited with the ends of said plates, and two strips each bent at rightangles at its middle part and having its ends formed into hooks forinter changeable and secure engagement with the front of an open grate,said strips being united with the ends of said plates in such relationthat the books can e interchangeably engaged with the front part of anopen grate, one of said plates beingreticulated while the other issubstantially imperforate, substantially as shown, for the purposesspecified. Y

- 2. In a reversible supporting andheating attachment for open grates,the combination of a receptacle including two plates at right angles toone another and adapted toalternatively constitute a floor and avertical wall, two end walls united with the ends of said plates, twostrips each bent at right angles at its middle part and having its endsformed into hooks, said strips being united with the ends of said platesin such relation that the hooks can be interchangeably engaged with thefront part of an open grate, one of said plates being reticulated whilethe other is substantially imperforate, the upper and outer edges ofsaid plates being formed with flanges which extendfrom one to the otherof said end walls, substantially as shown, and a cover seatable betweensaid end walls in such relation that a lower edge rests against theinner side of one of said flanges while its upper edge rests upon theouter side of the other one of said flanges, substantially as described.I

3. In a reversible supporting and heating attachment for open grates,the combination of a receptacle including two plates at right angles toone another and adapted to alternatively constitute a floor and avertical wall, two end walls united with the ends of said plates, twostrips each bent to form supporting hooks and being'united with the endsand are secured to said edge portions and strips, substantially as shownand specified. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLARA MAE GIBBS.

